​21 Day Cleanse blog

Tightrope walking. That’s the image that came to me as I soaked in the tub Sunday night, thinking about the weekend and how I’ve been feeling. Moments of great balance, grace, and clarity, where one foot easily steps in front of another; and then stumbles backwards, twisting and turning with all my might so as not to lose my balance and fall off the rope.

There’s been an up/down, on/off rhythm for me so far during the cleanse. Saturday was on: I woke up energized despite not having a good night’s sleep. (Deep slumber has so far eluded me on this cleanse.) I had a much-needed, chill day at home with the family. We played UNO, Candyland, and Legos. I cooked hummus (including a batch with sriracha) and pickled hot peppers. PJs all day. The good stuff. As night approached, the fatigue and achiness set in. I’m more tired at night than usual.

Sunday was off: more irritable, more sensitive, less energy. Hips were so deeply achy, I could barely bend down to pick anything up. My mood worsened in the afternoon after I had a few handfuls of gluten-free granola. WITH SUGAR IN IT! I was so focused on gluten-free that I hadn’t properly read the ingredients. Cane sugar, #2. I ate it so enthusiastically I should’ve known straightaway there was something naughty in there. Yuck. Irritability got worse after that, and as if on cue, my hands began to itch and I had a small blister by nighttime. Frustrating but also illuminating. The yin and the yang, again.

A great article I came across about the power of veganism to protect the Earth (I also posted to Facebook) gave me a real sense of pride and purpose about what we are doing. The numbers are staggering: “If you eat vegan even for just one day a week, you have had a greater positive environmental impact than if you were to eat only locally grown food seven days a week,” the author writes. “According to Environmental Defense,if every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetarian foods instead, the carbon dioxide savings would be equivalent to taking more than half a million cars off of our roads.”

​Amazing, inspiring stuff, and motivation not only to keep cleansing, but also to think how I can incorporate these changes long term into my life. If one thing makes me feel powerless, it’s what we are doing to the Earth. I am grateful this cleanse has put me on this track.I hope Monday will be better. One thing I did neglect this weekend was exercise, which would’ve helped move the achiness and stagnation. So, commitment to yoga everyday this week. And no more granola! I’m also excited to get back into the Monday to Friday routine. It’s easier for me to slot in what I need for myself. I have a hike with a friend planned and tea with a fellow cleanser. I'm looking forward to seeing where this week leads, be it strides or stumbles. Maybe I’ll even fall off the rope. I’ll get back on.As I fell asleep last night, I repeated, “I surrender. I surrender,” over and over again.

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Naomi Lindt

I am a freelance journalist and editor. I've been a writer for over 10 years, and my work has appeared in The NY Times, Wall Street Journal and many high-profile glossy travel magazines. My emphasis has been travel, arts, and culture, and I have always had a passion for clean eating and living. I lived in Southeast Asia for 10 years before moving to Asheville last year. I am a mom of 2 boys, Auggie (5 and Leo (2). Follow me for 21 Days on the Earthie Mama's Super Cleanse.